DES MOINES, Iowa — One person died following a crash on Monday morning that may have been linked to a medical episode.
According to the Des Moines Police Department, officers responded to the incident just before 10:30 a.m. in the parking lot of UnityPoint-Iowa Lutheran Hospital. A 2018 Ford Escape was traveling eastbound on East University Avenue when it crossed into the westbound lanes and entered the hospital parking lot.
The vehicle struck a parked truck, which then rolled into the roadway on Pennsylvania Avenue and collided with a southbound vehicle in traffic, authorities said.
The driver of the Ford Escape, a 76-year-old woman, was extricated by bystanders and transported to the emergency room, where she later died.
“A critical medical episode is being investigated as a contributing factor to this crash,” police stated.
No additional injuries were reported. The investigation is ongoing, with lane closures at the site.